Pneumatic action for mechanical musical instruments.



No. 881,403. PATENTED MAR. 10, i osl B. A. HOGLUND.

PNEUMATIC ACTION FOR MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APYLIOATION TILED r33. 7. 11906.

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o 1 w :5 a E? l i) I O E WITNESSES:

L662 a INVENTCHM j. W By ATTORNEY- Air A nin'rnn PATENT OFFICE.

BERNDT Alil l'tdl) llOGLUND, Ola NEW YORK, N. Y.

To all 'w/tom 'i/t Wifbg/ concern:

lie it known that 1, Banner ALFRED iOtl-LUND, a citizen of the United States, reding at Williamsbridge, borough ol the runs, city oi New ".i'ork, New York county, and State oi New York, have invented certain. new and uselul li'nprovements .in Pneui'nntie Actions for li'lechanieal Musical Insirui'inants, of which the following a lull,

, i apparatus by which musical instrumen is lntringstrings to be struck are operated orfni: d by or'through the medium oi air pressure, 'ihe' apparatus for accomplishing the necessary movements are called pneundt e i'ineetions between the pn.eu ies amt the hammers lor striking the mgs are called pneumatic actions. The .imatic actions are generally combined altit the indium-y actions which are to be ope. tied by the lingers through the medium in the .usual way, one set oi actions bei thrown out ol use while the other set is be: employed. The obi prodic :1. pneunnitic action easy to be )litii in connection with the ordinary acl. musical instrument without interii any with, the use or employ i oi such tn'onuiry action, which is easily this and easily mounted in place for and which will operate noiselessly and min a minimum ami'iunt ol' friction so as to rem'hi r the pneui'natic action. more sensitive and reliable.

A subordinate object is to render the push rods of the pneumatic action separately renmvable and capable of being replaced without disturbing any of the other push rods and wihont moving the memnatic apparatus.

'l) accoi'nplish all of the foregoing and to secure other and ,t'mther advantages in the nu of construction, openition, application and use, my llllpIOV'GllHiltS involve certain i'iew nselul arrangements or cointions parts, peculiarities oi construceiples ol operation, as will be i d desrribed and then. pointed punying' h'awings l'orining lication, ligure l is a verti- 3 section and lpartly in. elorincipai parts o an ordinary Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 7, 1906. Serial No. 299,947.

cut of my invention to provide LMATIC ACTION FOR MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Patented March 10, 1908.

form of action for stringed musical instruments, showing the manner of applying my improwmients in connection therewith. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a Fragment showing several push rods mounted in the front of the guiding piece and each provided with a spring, omitting other parts of the action.

In both these figures like letters ofreferenee, wherever they occur, indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the hammer arm ol one of the ordinary forms ol piano actions. This arm carries the striking hammer at its outer extremity and it is mounted in a block, B, pivoted at (t, in an arm (1. The block B and therefore the arm A, is actuated upon striking one of the keys of the instrument through an abstract, as D, and mechanism intervening between the abstract and the block B. In the particular form of action shown, the abstract 1) is connected with a lunged arm, E, on which is pivoted a link, F, which engages a bearing piece, G, in such manner that when the abstract D is elevated the piece G will force the block B up. from its normal position, to effect the striking. The hinged arm. E carries also means for operatingthe damper, and for-compelling the return of the hammer after it has struck a string. E represents a damper-rod, E a cushioned block to receive the rebound of the hammer, E a wire allixed to arm E, and E a flexible connection between block B and wire E to compel return of the hammer. it

should be understood that this special form of action is not essential to my invention and may be replaced by any other approved form.

Whatever form of action may be employed, it has a piece or part connected with each abstract, as the. hinged arm I), and this is the part against which the force oi the supplementary push rod operated by the corresponding pneun'iatic is applied.

.11 represents one of the bellows, called a pneumatic in these instruments.

l. represents a chest or trunk connecting the pnenmntics in'one line or series.

h is a push. rod operated by the pneumatic for effecting the striking of the hammer. "lhis push rod, as shown, is stepped in a light piece, I), applied on the underside of the pneumatic ll, so as to be easily disengaged therefrom whenever required. There are, of course, as many push rods K there are hammers to be struck.

and friction.

. last named levers may be moved by touching the finger keys without disturbing the push rods of the pneumatic action which would interfere with proper manual playing.

On each push rod K is a head, (1!, which when in place constitutes a portion of the push rod. This head is made in the form of a capstan screw, as shown, so that it may be easily turned in its seat to regulate the length of the push rod K and thus to adjust thepush rod for proper application in connection with the corresponding hinged armE.

The push rods K are guided in part in their vertical movements by being located in open recesses in the frontfacc of the guiding plate L, which recesses are suitably cushioned or felted as represcnted-at c, to prevent noise Were the push rod K compelled to move in a vertical line, as when confined in a circular orifice in the guiding plate L, and the hinged arm E forced up, the cushion c would move upon the head of the push rod,'thus creating friction and wear and therefore require frequent adjustment of the bead. As the hinged arm moves up and town, the bearing point thereon for tl e head (1 moves in the arc of a circle of which the center is in the axis of the hinge of the arm. in connection with each push rod K, I employ a spring, as e, the same being fastened upon the guiding plate L, as the opposite end of the spring being bent and entered 'in a small perforation through the push rod. The result of th s arrangement is that when the push rod is moved up its head is carried in the arc of a circle of which the center is located in some part of the s ring. The distance traveled by the head eing small, the head will, by the spring, be compelled to remain in contact with the cushion c practi cally at one point, and therefore friction and wear Will be eliminated. The springs c serve also to return the push rods K to their normal depressedposition and thereforev to kee the bellows ll normally distended, after ing the possibility of-quicker action than when reliance is placed solely on the weight of the lower part of the bellows for the return of the push rod.

The length of stroke of the push rod K is limited by an adj ustablc stop, as g, the same being provided with a suitable cushion, as

indicated, and the push rod being provided with a projecting arm, as h, to abut against the stop. The stop is conveniently mounted upon a screw, as "i which passes down through the turns in its seat in the guide plate L.

To remove anyone of the push rods K, it' is only necessary to bend the spring e slightly to one side, thus withdrawing its bent end from the orificein the 'push rod..

Then the push rod may-be inclined towards the pneumatic and removed from its recess". in the front of-the guiding plate L without disturbing any of the other push rods and ploycd in connection with organ actions or with the actions of any similarly keyed ine struments.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new herein and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1.,ln a mechanical musical instrument,

'the combiiuition with the pneumatic, of a step piece applied on the bottom of the pneumatic, a removable push rod, a guide for said push rod having a recess open at one side,

and'a spring detachably connected withthe push rod, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. a

2. in a pneumatic action for mechanical musical instrun'ients, the combination of a removably stepped push rod operated by one of the pneumatics, anadjustable head for said push rod, aguiding plate having a reccss open at one side, and a detachable spring, the parts being constructed and arranged substantially as shown.

'3; The combination with a pneumatic, of a push rod operated thereby, an adjustable head for said push rod, a guiding late having a recess open at the rear side or accommodating the push rod, a detachable spring connected with the push rod, an adjustable stop. and an arm on the push rod for striking against said stop, substantially as and for the purposesset'forth. In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing-witnesses. I l i BERNDT ALFRED HOGLUND. lVitnesses:

(J. SEnowIcK, J. M. HOWARD. 

